Related documents
Birth certificate, Marriage certificate, Court judgment, Diploma, Transcript, Criminal record extract, Company statutes, Power of attorney
How to verify a sworn translator in Belgium
In Belgium, the right reflex is to check the FPS Justice public register directly to confirm whether a translator is registered and for which languages they are authorised.
Free checkImmediate if the register is accessibleSimple
Last reviewed: 12 April 2026Editorial review: Equipe CertiDocsOfficial sources: 1
Overview
What this guide helps you sort out
In Belgium, the right reflex is to check the FPS Justice public register directly to confirm whether a translator is registered and for which languages they are authorised.
Steps
4
Documents
3
Official sources
1
What frames this file straight away
Before you even follow the procedure step by step, these are usually the axes that matter.
Common translations
English-French, Dutch-French, German-French, French-Dutch
Related cities
Brussels, Antwerp, Liège
What the authority will really test here
In this kind of file, the blockage usually comes from proof, sequencing and consistency, not polished wording.
Records that need to line up
This procedure is usually read through Birth certificate, Marriage certificate, Court judgment. Names, dates and references need to stay aligned from one record to the next.
Which official reading matters
Brussels, Antwerp will compare the source record with English-French, Dutch-French and wants the issuing authority, date and registry references to be easy to spot.
Order of formalities
The 1 official source mainly help keep the sequence sharp: recent record first, any apostille or legalisation next, then the right filing step.
How to build this file more intelligently
Before you order anything or file the case, these are the three small choices that usually make the difference.
What needs to be stable first
Lock down Birth certificate, Marriage certificate, Court judgment first, then recheck names, dates and references across the surrounding records.
The order that avoids duplicate work
Correct source version first, then any apostille or legalisation, only then the sworn translation and the filing step.
What almost everyone forgets
English-French, Dutch-French and the annexes around Birth certificate, Marriage certificate, Court judgment are often exactly what Brussels, Antwerp needs to reread the file without doubt.
What does the public register allow?
The public register allows you to check whether a translator or interpreter is entered in the national register kept by the FPS Justice. It is the baseline for checking the provider's official status before entrusting a sensitive document.
What should you check beyond the name?
You mainly need to verify the languages and the exact function. The right provider for a sworn translation is not just someone who is registered, but someone registered for the languages you need.
Is this check enough for use abroad?
Not always. For a document destined abroad, legalisation or another formality may still be required. Verifying the translator is therefore the first step, not always the last one.
Documents to prepare
- Search the translator in the public register
- Check the registered languages
- Check whether an extra formality is required for the destination country
Steps to follow
1
Open the register
Start with the public FPS Justice source, not with a simple screenshot sent by an intermediary.
2
Search for the translator
Search for the person and check that they actually appear in the national register.
3
Check the languages
Check that the language combination needed for your file matches the registration.
4
Check the document destination
If the document is going abroad, check whether legalisation will also be required.
Good to know
Check the exact language
A translator may be registered, but not necessarily for the language combination you need.
A document destined abroad may require more
Being a sworn translator does not automatically mean the translation is ready for every country without further formalities.
Describe your need
We frame your request
Targeted matching
Translation and delivery
Certified
Fast
Confidential
Accepted everywhere
Internal routes
Jump straight to the next useful page
Not every internal link deserves oxygen. These are the document, language, city and cluster pages that genuinely extend this file.
Related documents
Common translations
Need a certified translation?
Our sworn translators can translate and certify all documents required for your procedures.
Get matchedFrequently asked questions
+−Is a stamp enough proof?
No. The right reflex is to verify the person in the FPS Justice public register.
+−Can a registered translator translate every language?
No. You need to verify the languages for which the person is registered.
+−Does this check replace legalisation?
No. For use abroad, an additional formality may still be required.
+−Is the register also useful for the authority receiving the translation?
Yes. It is precisely a public verification tool.
+−Can this be checked before paying?
Yes, and it is the healthiest reflex.
Official sources
The links below provide the official baseline. They help verify the procedure but do not replace file-specific analysis or the decision of the competent authority.
Guides
Next files that usually travel together
Same records, same languages or the same administrative friction. These are the logical next clicks, not random filler.
Apostille and legalisation of foreign documents in Belgium
Practical guide to apostille and legalisation of foreign documents in Belgium: differences, procedure, Hague Convention countries and certified translation.
Read the guideEU public documents: when an apostille is no longer required
What the EU regulation on public documents changes: no apostille in certain cases, the limits of the system and the role of multilingual forms.
Read the guideWhen does a sworn translation need legalisation in Belgium?
Understand the difference between a sworn translation and the legalisation of that translation depending on use in Belgium or abroad.
Read the guideDutch to French birth certificate translation in Belgium
Translate a Dutch birth certificate into French for Belgium: the right version, useful annotations, filing region and identity consistency.
Read the guideCompany statutes for a Belgian notary
What a Belgian notary actually wants to read in company statutes: the latest version, the representation clauses, the useful signatories and a sworn translation of the decisive passages.
Read the guideBelgian inheritance after a death abroad
How to use a foreign death certificate for an inheritance in Belgium, including notary work, family records, powers of attorney, apostille and sworn translation.
Read the guide